Ira Singhal is a member of the Indian Civil Service of the 2015 batch. She topped the UPSC CSE (Union Public Service Commission Civil Service Examination) 2014 and became the first disabled woman to top the general category civil service examination.
Wiki/Biography
Ira Singhal was born on Wednesday, August 31, 1983, in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India (40 years old as of 2023). Her zodiac sign is Virgo. Ira attended Sophia Girls’ School, Meerut Cantonment, from classes 6 to 8, Loreto Convent School, Delhi Cantonment, from classes 9 and 10, and Army Public School, Delhi Cantonment, from classes 11 and 12. In 2006, Ira pursued Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Science from Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology, Dwarka, New Delhi (now NSUT Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology). She then completed an MBA in Finance and Marketing from the Delhi Institute of Management. In 2017, Ira received a Master’s degree in Public Policy from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi.
Meerut Sophia Girls School where Ira Singhal studied
appearance
Height (approximately): 4′ 5″
Weight (approximately): 45kg
Hair color: black
Eye color: black
family
Ira Singhal was born into the Baniya family.
Parents and siblings
Ira Singhal’s father’s name is Rajendra Singhal and her mother’s name is Anita Singhal. Her father is an engineer and businessman; he is a member of the Delhi District Cricket Association and a board member of Patanjali Yogpeeth. Ella’s mother is an insurance consultant. Ella is the only daughter of her parents.
Ella Hingle and her parents
husband
Ira Singhal is unmarried.
Signature/Autograph
Signed by Ella Singer
Profession
corporate sector
Ira Singhal started her career in 2007 as a marketing intern at The Coca-Cola Company. She joined Cadbury India Limited as Customer Development Manager in June 2008 and worked there for two years. In November 2011, Ira joined a college in Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi, where she teaches Spanish and English. She worked there for a year until December 2012.
civil servant
Ira Singhal attempted it for the first time in 2010 and passed it with 815th rank. She entered the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) but was refused service due to disability. Ella suffers from scoliosis, a spinal deformity that limits her arm movement. Authorities canceled her candidacy on the grounds of 62% dyskinesia and inability to push, pull and lift. Ella recalled the 2010 episode in an interview, saying:
It’s a big disappointment, a major setback. But I decided to fight back. It was difficult at first because I had to get tested, submit medical certificates, and prove my ability to do the job the IRS was entrusting me with. It was hard for two years, but then everyone realized that despite my disability, I was still capable of working. They realized I was not a pushover. ”
Ira decided to challenge this decision and filed a case with the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT); four years later, in 2014, the CAT ruled in her favour, and she was arrested by the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) Customs and Central Excise Department (C&CE) appointed as Assistant Commissioner, Faridabad, Haryana.
Ira Singhal interacts with late Arun Jaitley during LBSNAA training
Ella took the Civil Service Examination in 2011, 2013 and 2014 to improve her rank. However, she got admission in IRS in both her attempts in 2011 and 2013, but in the 2014 attempt, she secured first rank and became the first person to secure first rank in the General Category Civil Services Examination disabled woman.
Ira’s name appears in top list of UPSC Delhi Museum
Ella is delighted with her success, saying in an interview:
I’m excited, excited, and very, very happy. This is a dream come true. I thought it would do well, but I didn’t expect to surpass it. My friend, an IAS officer, first told me the good news. I want to become an IAS officer and work in the field of women and child welfare, development and empowerment. I want to contribute to the advancement of differently-abled people and make their lives easier. People with different abilities struggle every day, face difficulties, and have to work extra hard to do anything on their own. ”
Ira Singhal receives letter of thanks from Minister Jitendra Singh
Ira was posted as AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territories) cadre and after completing two years of officer training, she took charge of the National Capital Territory (NCT) government for the first time in October 2017 Divisional Magistrate New Delhi. Ira has served in various capacities in the Government of India, including Deputy Commissioner, Karol Bagh District, Director, New Delhi Municipal Council, and Joint Director, Ministry of Women and Child Development.
Ira Singhal with her brother and niece at the office of the deputy commissioner of the Delhi Municipal Corporation
In February 2023, Ira was appointed as the Special Secretary for Education in Arunachal Pradesh.
Ira Singhal interacts with teachers as Special Secretary for Education, Arunachal Pradesh
Prepare strategy
Ira Singhal quit her corporate job to prepare for the civil services examination. She ignored the fixed study time regulations and chose to complete the project. She first attempted a CSE coaching program in 2009-10, but thereafter, she relied on self-study and referred to various online materials to gain a different perspective on a particular subject. She hardly takes any notes as she believes in revising a book multiple times and learning to read it in an analytical manner, for example, she refers to around 35-40 books to prepare for her elective subject Geography.
Awards, Honors, Achievements
- Indian Woman of the Year 2015 by India Today Group
Ira Singhal wins India Today Woman of the Year award
- Presidential Gold Award for Best Officer Trainee in IAS Professional Course (Phase 1) 2015
- NRI Achiever Award 2019
Ira Singhal receives Achievement Award
- Ladli Foundation presents Rashtriya Prernadoot Award 2019
Ira Singhal wins Prenadutt Award
- Indira Awards 2022-23 by Indira Institute of Management, Pune, Maharashtra
Ira Singhal wins Indira Award
Favorites
Facts/Trivia
- Ira gave a TedX Talk on April 10, 2018, discussing the virtues of social equality.
- She participated in various seminars and summits on topics related to women’s empowerment, education and disability rights.
- Once, Ira experienced a curfew in Meerut. She saw how the district collector managed the district in tough times. This incident inspired Ira to become an IAS officer.
- She is an innocent child who never bothers her parents. Patience and calmness are qualities she possesses.
- Once, when she was denied admission to school because of her disability, school administrators told her father to send her to a school for special children.
- Ira was topper in her class at Sophia Girls’ School in Meerut and Loreto Convent School in Delhi.
- She follows a vegetarian diet.
Ella enjoys a meal in a European restaurant
- Ella’s hobbies are reading and traveling. She often shares photos from her travels on her social media accounts. Her favorite genres are crime, suspense, and romance.
- She was the first government official to offer two transgender people full-time receptionist jobs in her office.
- She has a desire to learn Bharatnatyam dance.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education